Actually, our little country was too cold for this animal, but now that it is getting warmer, it apparently thrives here:the giant tick, or the hyalomma tick.
The giant tick was found in Drenthe. According to de Volkskrant, a woman had found the animal with her horse.
Read also: Tick care
The hyalomma tick is two to three times larger than a normal tick. He is also much faster and has striped legs.
The giant tick is harmless to animals, but can have major consequences for humans. The tick carries the Crimean Congo virus, a type of Ebola-like disease. According to biologist Arnold van Vliet, the condition can lead to liver damage and in the worst case even death.
However, there is no immediate reason to panic, because it is not yet known whether the tick also carries the diseases.
